The traditional weekly shop is alive and well with three quarters of Brits still doing the big supermarket sweep, a survey has revealed.
Figures show not only are they trawling the aisles with trollies once a week, half are also popping out for “top up” shops for items that have run out.
Six in 10 adults write out a shopping list so they don’t forget any items, a fifth note it on their smartphones and one in 20 just try and keep it in their heads.
According to research, list writers are likely to save an average of £11 per shop as sticking to their guns means they won’t veer off track and impulse buy or get drawn in by promotions.
And they reckon having a list means they can get around the store and to the checkout within 24 minutes of picking up a basket or trolley.
However, many fail to hit that target as 47% admit they sometimes forget to take their list with them, while a third have forgotten to buy items despite having jotted them down.
The Nectar card survey of 2,000 shoppers found two thirds check the price before popping a product into their basket, half look at the use by date and more than half seek quality.
A snapshot of the nation’s shopping habits reveals almost four in 10 always stick to the same food items while a quarter enjoy seeing what’s new on the shelves and trying out innovative products.
But being adventurous leads to one in five busting their budgets and overspending.
Younger shoppers aged 25 to 34-years-old are the best at totting up the total as they go and more than a quarter of all shoppers wish they were more savvy at the supermarket.
The study found four in 10 believe they are good at finding the best bargains, but one in 10 often fail to take advantage of money saving loyalty card deals.
Sam Burston, director of customer relationship management for Nectar at Sainsbury’s, said: “Ensuring that we’re offering our customers great value is something we really prioritise.
“But we also understand that busy lives can often mean there is little time left to plan the food shop or take advantage of all the deals on offer.”
While online grocery shopping is on the rise, figures from market analysts NielsenIQ show it only accounts for 13% of the market.
